Two years ago the office of the premier in the Eastern Cape bought an almost R1-million video conferencing unit – but to date it has never been used and is gathering dust at OTP.
Premier Phumulo Masualle’s office has now instituted a forensic investigation to determine how more than R97 0000 was paid for a video conference system that is not functional.
The administration head in Masualle’s office, director-general Marion Mbina-Mthembu, told the Bhisho legislature this week that the forensic investigation was instituted after the system, supplied by Dimension Data at a cost of R97 0232, “could not be verified” and was non-functional.
The system was installed at the OTP’s tele-media room in October 2014, but has been giving officials there headaches ever since.
Addressing the legislature’s portfolio committee on the OTP on Tuesday, Mbina-Mthembu said the system was not doing what it was supposed to do for the amount paid.
Mbina-Mthembu said the system glitch was picked up when a verification of OTP assets was undertaken earlier this year.
These revelations come just months after the same office installed a non-functional telephone system which cut the province’s nerve centre off from the outside world for months.
According to a Dimension Data report compiled in March, OTP was warned from the start about challenges that would render the system unusable, but the office ignored the warnings and refused to buy additional items needed for the system to be functional.
“Dimension Data was told to respond as per the tender and to ignore any flaws and shortcomings,” states the report prepared by the company’s East London branch manager, Ayanda Ngcebetsha.
Dimension Data’s Eastern Cape regional executive Sherrard Govender confirmed the system was non-operational because of items missing from the advertised bill of materials.
“Dimension Data communicated what was required for a working solution to the client. The office of the premier would be best placed to respond to any further questions in this regard.”
No response to e-mailed queries had been received from OTP spokeswoman Mandisa Titi late yesterday. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Probe into OTP’s R1m video fiasco
Premier Phumulo Masualle’s office has now instituted a forensic investigation to determine how more than R97 0000 was paid for a video conference system that is not functional.
The administration head in Masualle’s office, director-general Marion Mbina-Mthembu, told the Bhisho legislature this week that the forensic investigation was instituted after the system, supplied by Dimension Data at a cost of R97 0232, “could not be verified” and was non-functional.
The system was installed at the OTP’s tele-media room in October 2014, but has been giving officials there headaches ever since.
Addressing the legislature’s portfolio committee on the OTP on Tuesday, Mbina-Mthembu said the system was not doing what it was supposed to do for the amount paid.
Mbina-Mthembu said the system glitch was picked up when a verification of OTP assets was undertaken earlier this year.
These revelations come just months after the same office installed a non-functional telephone system which cut the province’s nerve centre off from the outside world for months.
According to a Dimension Data report compiled in March, OTP was warned from the start about challenges that would render the system unusable, but the office ignored the warnings and refused to buy additional items needed for the system to be functional.
“Dimension Data was told to respond as per the tender and to ignore any flaws and shortcomings,” states the report prepared by the company’s East London branch manager, Ayanda Ngcebetsha.
Dimension Data’s Eastern Cape regional executive Sherrard Govender confirmed the system was non-operational because of items missing from the advertised bill of materials.
“Dimension Data communicated what was required for a working solution to the client. The office of the premier would be best placed to respond to any further questions in this regard.”
No response to e-mailed queries had been received from OTP spokeswoman Mandisa Titi late yesterday. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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